For those of you who aren't quite sure if an electric vehicle is something you can live with, you'll have an easier way to find out early in 2011. According to The New York Times, Hertz – the same company that bid for rival Dollar Thrifty last month – will begin renting the Nissan Leaf in the United States and Europe shortly after customer deliveries begin late this year. At this point, it is unlikely the Leaf rental will available everywhere. Instead, the same regions where the car is first offered for sale will probably be in the lead for rentals. That means places like California and Hawaii will get the first batch of cars.

While tourists may be interested in renting the Leaf, they might want to check with their lodgings first to ensure there will be somewhere to plug it in. Not being able to charge the car at your hotel could put a real damper on your Hawaiian vacation.